Majority Leader Thune says Senate will make next steps to vote on $9.4B in funding cuts

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that the Senate will likely vote Tuesday evening on a package approved by the House that would cut $9.4 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and some international aid programs.

This comes after Thune said he secured a vote from Sen. Mike Rounds, R-N.D., who originally said he wouldn't vote for it unless changes are made to protect tribal radio stations in South Dakota.

Thune said the Senate would vote on the motion to discharge the package out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and to bring the legislation to the floor, according to The Hill newspaper.

The “rescissions package” would have to be on President Donald Trump's desk by July 18 if the cuts are going to be made.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought met with Senate Republicans Tuesday and said that the White House agreed to a substitute amendment to the rescissions package that would allow PEPFAR to be exempt from the cuts, The Hill reports.

PEPFAR is a global anti-AIDS initiative. 

“It’s substantially the same package and the Senate has to work its will and we’ve appreciated the work along the way to get to a place where they’ve got the votes,” Vought told reporters.